Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“Even more beautiful when you smile, but the best is when you come.”
“Okay, you need to stop. You’re turning me on,” I tell him honestly, and he throws his head back, laughing loudly. “Glad you find me amusing.” I roll my eyes, and he laughs louder, and even though his reason for laughing is annoying, I know when I hear that sound that we will totally be okay.
Harlen
Sitting on the back deck of the four-story cabin Nico and Sophie rented in the Smoky Mountains I stare into the house through the glass doors watching Harmony play a board game in the living room with her siblings.
“It will get easier,” Nico says pulling my attention from his daughter, taking a seat across from me and handing me a beer. “It takes time, but it will get easier. Soon you won’t be constantly thinking about what happened, what could have happened.” “I hope you’re right.” It’s been over three months and it still feels like it was yesterday. There are nights I don’t sleep. I just lay in the dark holding her, listening to her breathe. Days when I can’t get shit done because all I can do is think about her, worry about her. Even knowing she’s safe, that shit still haunts me.
“Look at my girl,” He lifts his chin to the glass door. “She doesn’t have a care in the world, she knows she’s safe, she knows you made her that way. She knows you have the power to keep her that way.” He says shaking his head, his face softening. “You’ll lose sleep, you’ll lose hours a day thinking about it, but remember when you look at her that she’s good, and eventually you will be too.” He reaches out wrapping his hand around the side of my neck holding it tight, pulling me close. “I couldn’t have chosen better for my girl, you’re a good man Harlen, I didn’t know your parents, but I know they’d be proud of the man you are, proud of the kind of husband you’re going to be to my girl and proud of the kind of father you’ll be to your kids. I know that because down to my fucking soul, I’m fucking proud to call you my son.”
Fuck my throat gets tight and my eyes start to burn as I hold his gaze. Knowing I have no words to give him to express how I feel, I wrap my hand around the back of his neck, and knock my forehead to his like I used to do to my dad. His eyes close briefly and he does the same back to me before letting me go, having no idea what he just gave me.
Epilogue
Harlen
One Year Later
“SHE REALLY IS PERFECT FOR YOU.”
Looking down at my aunt, I see her eyes are focused across the room on Harmony, who’s standing under her dad’s arm smiling at something one of her brothers is saying. Taking her in, my chest gets tight and my stomach fills with pride and possessiveness.
Three hours ago, I made her my wife at the front of a small church, with friends and close family.
Three hours ago, she walked down the aisle toward me, her white lace dress skimming her body and flowing out at her waist.
Three hours ago, I took her hand when her dad entrusted me with her.
Three hours ago, I realized I had been wrong all the times before, because her face right before she became my wife was the most beautiful I had ever seen her.
“So perfect for you.”
My aunt’s words pull me from my thoughts, and I focus on her. “She is,” I agree, as her arms slide around my waist and she tucks herself into my side.
“Your parents would be proud of you, Harlen Alistair MacCabe. So darn proud of the man you’ve become.” Her words wash through me, and I wrap my arm tighter around her shoulders. “You’ve done good for yourself, kid.”
“You had a hand in me becoming the man I am,” I tell her, and her body jolts in surprise. Christ, have I never told her that?
“She’s making you soft.” I hear the tears in her voice, and then see them when she tips her head back to look up at me.
“Probably,” I agree without a shred of regret, and she laughs, wiping the tears off her cheeks.
Looking around the room, I take in all the familiar faces, and then my eyes land on the large photo of my parents. Harmony wanted them with us today. I didn’t know she had it planned, but when we walked into the reception hand in hand, I saw that photo and knew that, even without the picture, they were here. In some way or another, they have always been with me. I still miss them every day, but I know they had a hand in me finding the woman I married and the life I live.